Festive florals
20 December
Still-life artist Donald Sultan has collaborated with swimwear brand Vilebrequin on limited-edition print for the brand's signature swimming shorts. Sultan, a long-time friend of the label, has designed a red and white lantern flower print in his famous abstracted style. The red floral blocks of colour are detailed with black stigmas at the centre of each flower, making it a wonderfully appropriate palette for the festive season. They make for a sublime stocking filler for those lucky enough for some winter sun.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Surf’s up
19 December
More and more information is being uncovered about the devastating impact of human waste on our seas and oceans. Parley for the Oceans works tirelessly to build a network of creatives who can spread the word about the devastating impact of plastics on fragile maritime ecosystems. Now, it has teamed up with online auction platform Paddle 8, in its sale of The Amazing Earth by Ed Ruscha- a surfboard emblazoned with striped washes of colour and typography. All proceeds from the auction go towards the Ocean Defense Fund, and with the auction ending tomorrow, it’s time to get into the swim of things.
Writer: Laura Hawkims
Fine print
18 December
We’re putting in a good word for Valentino’s latest menswear capsule collection. The typography-focused offering features the words ‘Always and Anywhen’ emblazoned across t-shirts, biker boots, down jackets and knitwear. The pieces make for perfect wardrobe staples for graphic design aficionados, and just like the phrases used across the collection, can be worn always and anywhen. How’s that for an A+?
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Driving seat
15 December
In April this year, luxury group, For The One, introduced LONB - an accessories label inspired by the extravagant and sophisticated 1960s traveller. Now, a new collection for men and women comes rooted in exotic hides, like calfskin, crocodile and suede, which work seamlessly with the demands of dynamic and busy lifestyles. With a fascination for the finest details, creators Reinhard Mieck and Melissa Morris leave no detail unconsidered. The clasps and zips in the collection mimic the ‘cluck’ of a convertible roof folding or the ‘wumpth’ of a 911 Porche door closing. Our favourite design includes ‘The Runaway II’, a clutch which keeps hold of essential travel necessities using individual pouches and pockets - all upholstered in caviar grey ostrich leather. Or, keep your jewels safe en-route with the 'Jewellery Pouch' seen above. Buckle up.
Writer: Katie Meston
Raw materials
14 December
We’re going nuts over G-Star Raw’s latest Earth Colours collection- a line of jeans naturally dyed with tones derived from olives, rosemary, plants and nutshells. The innovative brand have teamed up with ethical textile leaders Archroma, who manufacture dyes made from 70 to 100% raw materials. How’s that for au naturel?
Writer: Jason Hughes
Snug fit
13 December
Birkenstock has found a way to bring fireside warmth to feet while staying fashion forward. For the winter season, its 'Arizona' sandal comes with double straps underpinned by a snug layer of soft cowhide. Whether you're holiday bound or hibernating at home, it's the best way to keep your feet toasty yet tasteful this season.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
As originally featured in the December 2017 issue of Wallpaper* (W*225)
Hammer time
12 December
Three years ago, Bao Bao Issey Miyake launched its 'Distortion' range, which comprised clutch bags ornamented with tessellating triangular appliqué. In a bid to update the line, the brand has embarked on a space odyssey. The 'Distortion 2' is a clutch-cum-objet d'art, inspired my meteorites and formed from modular mirrored triangles, finished with tsuchime, a Japanese hand-hammering technique that produces a dimpled effect.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
As originally featured in the December 2017 issue of Wallpaper* (W*225)
Take the floor
11 December
The festive season calls for sublime suiting, which is why there’s no better time to step into Richard James’ newly revamped boutique on Clifford Street in London. The tailor has expanded its Mayfair space, and its three floors, their design conceived by long term collaborator Philip Oakley, feature an eye catching neon artwork by Danny Moony, mid-century furniture pieces reupholstered with suiting fabrics and futuristic mirrored changing rooms. Up on the second floor, the boutique even boasts a lounge and bar. A new suit and a sip of something sweet- what better way to get into the festive spirit?
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Flying high
10 December
There’s no better time to invest in a pair of 1937 Ray-Ban Aviators. Not only does this sunglasses silhouette celebrate its 80th anniversary this year, but the classic shape is also a sublime way to cover those tired eyes of the festive season. The pilot-centric shape boasts drop-shaped lenses, nose pads and temple tips in mother of pearl accents, and this limited edition frame will leave you flying high for years to come.
Photography: Aylin Bayhan. Writer: Laura Hawkins
Hit or knit
9 December
Here at Wallpaper* we’re big fans of timeless design. Imagine our jubilation, then, at Milan label Dondup’s latest ‘Iconic’ collection - a seasonless and genderless capsule of forever pieces. With winter drawing in, we’ll be snuggling up in this petrol blue oversized knit, a piece of essential kit for the festive season and beyond. The 20 piece ‘Iconic’ collection is available to purchase from Dondup’s Via della Spiga experimental space and online.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Loyal friends
8 December
December marks the fifth birthday of German leather specialists Tsatsas. To commemorate this special celebration, founders Esther Schulze-Tsatsas and Dimitrios Tsatsas have launched a project titled ‘Constant Companions’, which explores individual’s relationships with particular objects that become significant within their day-to-day lives. 'We often meet people who over a period of time have found a constant companion in a Tsatsas product’, the founders say. In light of this revelation, Tsatsas has asked a selection of international friends to share insight into how their products assimilate into their lives. Collated and documented in a publication, the project is also exhibited at the brand's Frankfurt-based studio until 22 December, where furniture and product designer Michael Anastassiades’ Xela bag - a trusty companion since 2013 - is seen photographed slouched on a stack of chairs at his London studio.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Closet confidential
7 December
Fashion director Christine Centenera and designer Josh Goot have launched Wardrobe, a luxury direct-to-consumer fashion concept. ‘We wanted to build a luxury label with a simplicity and honesty, that felt right for the times,’ says Goot. The concept is built around a ‘wardrobe’ of timeless, beautifully considered and curated separates that blend streetwear with tailoring – think a fine-gauge crew neck sweater, tailored trousers, a perfectly proportioned hoodie. In-keeping with their own personal style, many of the monochrome pieces have a unisex feel: ‘Our joint favourite is the coat,’ says Centenera. ‘I accidentally tried the men's coat sample in the first fitting in Naples and loved it so much we decided to make the women's block the same.’
The DTC model means pieces are offered without the retail mark-up, but it is an investment - $1500 will buy you four pieces, $3000 eight pieces. Intentionally positioned as the opposite of fast fashion and made in limited runs, the duo hope to combat ‘the relentless production and consumption cycle that is endemic to the fashion industry.’
Writer: Tilly Macalister-Smith
Animal instinct
6 December
In September, Paul Surridge debuted his first collection as creative director of Roberto Cavalli. The S/S 2018 offering viewed the glamorous animal print-loving Cavalli woman through a modern lens, and featured zebra stripe trench coats, crocodile skin trousers and a smattering of sultry dresses, paired with modern and practical pointed slippers. Now, with the launch of a 12 piece capsule collection, debuting at the brand’s Sloane Street boutique in London and online, Cavalli customers can earn their spring stripes early, and pick up a selection of key pieces from Surridge’s debut. No more running in heels.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Carte blanche
5 December
Maison Margiela’s democratic approach to staff dressing is exemplified by the requirements of all employees of its atelier to wear ‘blouse blanche’. These white lab coats, traditionally worn by couturiers, are the main inspiration behind the brand’s latest collaboration with Mackintosh. The result is a lab coat-centric coat silhouette, crafted using Mackintosh’s signature rubberised fabric, and featuring Margiela trademarks: white horn buttons, brushed steel eyelets and four signature stitches on its back. A wardrobe essential whether you’re amassing your S/S 2018 wardrobe, or aiming to sneak unseen into the avant garde Paris-based label’s atelier.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Make it rain
4 December
Continuing their collaboration for Spring 2018, Marni and Stutterheim’s new capsule collection is made up of 6 eye-catching raincoats. Paying tribute to the classic Marni overcoat, the Stutterheim raincoat silhouette has been updated with a cocoon shape. Coated in colourful graphic prints, the collaboration arrives just in time for those rainy December days.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Party pieces
3 December
We’ve always had eyes for sleek interpretations of party wear. Imagine our festive cheer then, on learning of Victoria Beckham’s latest Tuxedo collection – a capsule of eight party-inspired pieces which includes a sleek, cleanly tailored trouser suit. Of course, no holiday look comes complete without a little shimmer. We’ll be sporting our tuxedo with the Dorothy, a fifties-inspired heel dipped in glitter. The Tuxedo collection is available exclusively at Victoria Beckham, 36 Dover Street, London, and online.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Petal power
2 December
Minimally designed accessories have certainly enjoyed a prolonged moment in the sun. Proving that restrained does not mean boring is Linjer, a Florence-based accessory label that pays homage to the Norwegian heritage of its founders in its aesthetic. Built upon clean lines and fine raw materials, Linjer’s elegant array of vegetable-tanned leather goods and pared back watches for men and women flies the flag for elegant functionality, perfect for everyday life. For its latest creation, the Tulip bag, the label was inspired by the bloom, to create the undulating body of a handbag. Made from Italian leather and featuring splices of bright colour and natural linen, the bag is as spacious as it is impactful – an ideal combination all over the world.
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
Birthday suit
1 December
Mongolia-born knitwear maestro Oyuna Tserendorj has celebrated her label’s fifteenth birthday with a plethora of creative festivities in conjunction with one of our most treasured Berlin boutiques Andreas Murkudis. Tserendorj, who founded the cashmere label in 2002 with her husband David Bernasconi, has created a celebratory capsule collection for the boutique, which encompasses a series of limited edition pieces that pay homage to Oyuna’s archive. This collection is presented alongside an installation at one of Murkurdis’ exhibition spaces, which features a series of photographs and projections by Joe Harper, celebrating the artisans of Tserendori’s home country and the detailed craftsmanship involved in creating Oyuna's designs.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Special forces
30 November
Superga’s vulcanized rubber plimsolls became standard issue for members of the Italian Army in the late 1970s. Andrea Rosso – founder of the restyled vintage military clothing line Myar – is well versed in the annals of army clothing, and remembers wearing his first pair of 2570s aged six. Rosso has just released a capsule of two styles made in collaboration with Superga inspired by MYAR’s S/S 2018 Re-Camouflage collection. Both the high and low-top are crafted from compact cotton canvas with a high-shine extended rubber sole, available in four camo colours.
Writer: Dal Chodha
Artistic license
29 November
The Lady Dior bag has had many reincarnations since its birth in 1995, and with its strong identity it still doesn’t cease to maintain a timeless charm. The bag was a favourite of the late Princess Diana, whose stylish image popped up on many a designer’s moodboard for S/S 2018. The idiosyncratic objet, which comes complete with metal charms and signature ‘cannage’ motif, has now been transformed by ten British and American artists in ‘Dior Lady Art #2’ the second iteration of its limited edition series. For his design, multi-media artist Jack Pierson has created black and white drawings, which swirl and spin across the body of the bag, resulting in a vortex of patterns and shapes. The arch of each handle is highlighted with electric orange zigzag shapes, which hark back to the American artist’s famed sculptural and photographic work with commercial signage and lettering.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
On your bike!
28 November
On 20 December, we bid adieu to the legendary Parisian concept store, Colette. Going out in style rather than sadness, the mother-daughter team behind the store, Colette Roussaux and Sarah Andelman, have organised a series of pop-ups to inhabit the first floor of the Rue Saint Honoré space. Following the likes of Chanel, Balenciaga and Sacai - the final and most extensive brand collaboration yet is with Saint Laurent. And the variety is wide and vast. Everything from a leopard-embossed Arkaic Concept skate deck and a vintage Polaroid camera, to lighters that read ‘Smoking Forever’, a reference to the eminent Le Smoking tuxedo designed by Yves Saint Laurent in 1966. But truly, you can't get more Parisian than the monochrome Saint Laurent Vespa. As Christmas is on the horizon, here’s the perfect gift inspiration – after all, nothing screams festivity like this accompanying Ruby for Saint Laurent glossy black and fully crystal-embellished motorcycle helmet.
Writer: Katie Meston
Spinning a yarn
27 November
Parisian brother-sister duo Grégory and Laëtitia Mizele are making crochet luxe with their namesake label Mizele. Their signature collection of bags take inspiration from their Tunisian heritage and textile craftsmanship. The chic double handled ‘Muzelle’ and ‘Muze’ bags in ‘Série 1’, come complete with a versatile shoulder strap, and take over twenty hours of construction. The intricately crafted bags are finished with fine leather accents and can be customised with monogrammed initials. They’ll make for a coveted Christmas gift come rain or shine.
Writer: Andrew Wasserstein
Hit the white
26 November
Scoring flying colours on Thursday was central London’s celebration of White Milano- a trade show and one of Italy’s largest fashion events, which celebrates renowned and burgeoning fashion brands as part of men’s and women’s fashion week each season. As part of the event, hosted by the Italian Trade Agency, a plethora of fashion brands, from London’s recent Woolmark Prize winners Cottweiler to whimsical Italian label Vivetta, created a series of white garments for an eye-catching installation. We’re particularly green with envy for Paula Cademartori’s white ‘Alex’ bag, a cleaner take on the designer’s kaleidoscopic aesthetic. Event produced by Karla Otto Special Projects
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Architectural endeavour
25 November
After two years in the making, London-based accessories designer Charlotte Olympia has unveiled her latest limited edition mini collection, created and crafted in collaboration with Zaha Hadid Design. The author of the popular ‘Kitty’ flats and the late architecture visionaire first met in 2015, and Olympia and Hadid’s team have since worked meticulously on an outcome that would reflect both signature aesthetics. Two pieces have come out from their creative dialog - a platform wedge shoe and a clutch bag, tied together by the use of Perspex fluid forms, rose gold metal accents, and sculptural spliced packaging. The limited edition is now available at Charlotte Olympia stores and online.
Writer: Ema Janackova
Alphabet pretty
24 November
British bag designer Sophie Hulme just got personal with the opening of a pop-up boutique to launch her brand's new monogram service. Situated in the iconic London shopping promenade, Burlington Arcade, the in-store only service allows shoppers to choose from three bespoke techniques to create a unique design personalised with their initials. Hulme has developed an artisanal alphabet made from stacked saddle leather to adorn ten handbag styles across eight colourways. The boutique also offers hand-painting by acclaimed sign writer, Mark MacDonald, in a lexicon of original fonts designed for the label by John Morgan’s renowned London graphic studio. Leather embossing in gold-foil or simply pressed blind, tops off the standout service.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Tickled pink
23 November
Dover Street Market was a first season supporter of Molly Goddard’s feminine tulle creations. Now, the British designer has given the store’s Haymarket location a playful takeover, co-designed by Molly’s mother and set designer Sarah Edwards. The otherworldly installation has been positioned amongst the vast cavities of the Grade II listed building, filling it from floor to ceiling with sculptures wrapped in bubblegum pink and papery recycled materials. These have been intermingled with Goddard’s frothy, floral print and check creations. ‘Industrial-type packaging is always a great source of inspiration for our sets and installations’, Edwards says, an aesthetic evident in the brand’s previous installation at The Comme des Garçons Trading Museum in Paris, one imagined using pink plastic wrapping. The fanciful installation uses scale to interact with the viewer and entice them into Molly’s whimsical world. ‘The use of height adds an element of fun,’ Edwards adds. Now all we want to do is dress up and play!
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
London calling
22 November
We’ve been part of Aeyde’s boot camp since the Berlin-based brand launched in 2015. Now, the label’s founders, Luisa Krogmann and Constantin Langholz-Baikousis, have lent their urban inclination to London, with a pop up store at Pippa Store in Notting Hill. In celebration of its chic temporary outpost, Aeyde have debuted the ‘London Edition’ a limited edition version of its square toed ‘Liam’ boot, available in a deep maroon port croc colour way. With only fifty styles available, we’ll be pounding the pavements to pick up a pair.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Wrap artist
21 November
Scottish brand Begg & Co have been swathing customers in scarves, wraps and stoles since 1866. Now, the label’s enveloping pieces have taken a more artistic lean, in collaboration with Michael Wall. The South London-based artist has bought the abstract, colourful sweeps he applies to large-scale canvases, with two limited edition blankets, available exclusively in 10 pieces each at London's Fenwick of Bond Street. We’ll be cloaking ourselves in this soft-pink style as those winter nights draw in.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Stitch craft
20 November
Woolrich’s collections celebrate the brand’s rich American outdoor heritage. Now the label has adopted a more urban inclination, collaborating with the New York designer and founder of Bags in Progress, Chiharu Hayashi, on a capsule collection crafted from textured plaids. Following previous collaborations such as the Woolrich x OVO blanket, this capsule collection is part of the Woolrich Wool Project, and includes reversible tote bags, a converted clutch bag and other winter necessities. This tote style is crafted with the finest archival wool from the brand’s renowned Woolen Mill. A reversible shape, with a detachable strap, it's a true wooly wonder.
Writer: Katie Meston
Like it or lump (and bump) it
17 November
In May, we took a behind the scenes look at the awe-inspiring exhibition ‘Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between’, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York. The expansive show featured pieces from the Japanese label's revolutionary S/S 1997 ‘Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body’ collection, where the idealised female body of the nineties was distorted by garments featuring padded protrusions and swellings. Imagine our delight then, that Artcurial’s latest three part sale ‘Fall Fashion Arts’, taking place on 20 November, features pieces from the label's renowned collection, as part of the French auction house's Japanese fashion section. The lumpy details in Lot 323 and 363 – a skirt and top in red Vichy and black stretch – subvert the idealised feminine notions of domestic garb and the concept of the little black dress. They make for high drama, whether in a museum exhibition space, or in your wardrobe.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Thick Skiim
16 November
French Sixties cinema classics such as La Piscine and Le Mepris formed the basis behind the debut collection of leather womenswear brand SKIIM. The label offers modern classics such as high-waist trousers, ruffled blouses and outerwear essentials, all made using ethically sourced leather and suede.
For autumn, we have our eye on the Karla, a robust patent leather trench coat that brings a seductive Helmut Newton polaroid to mind.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Snow go
15 November
Tommy Hilfiger takes to the slopes this winter in collaboration with ski brand, Rossignol. The capsule collection of men’s winter apparel includes padded ski jackets, streamline zip-through cardigans and ski pants, alongside technical equipment such as skis, boots and poles, including an ergonomic helmet with goggles. All items seamlessly blend the signature logos of both brands, sharing a graphic red, white and blue colour palette. It’s the ideal attire for hitting that black run.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Into the deep
14 November
For the first instalment of its female artist series, Australian brand Her Line has teamed up with illustrator Petra Börner, on a series of limited edition prints, gifted to customers who make an online purchase. Swedish-born Börner has created three exclusive seaside-inspired illustrations for the label. ‘I love the sea and swimming,’ she says. ‘Having grown up spending summers by the rocky landscapes of the Swedish West coast, I am not fazed by cool waters.’ These landscapes acted as the inspiration behind Börner’s linear illustrations, like this reclining swimsuit-clad woman whose hair billows in the wind. Time for a dip?
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
On a roll
13 November
With holiday season approaching, we’re on the case of luxury luggage label Rimowa’s collaboration with Fendi. The German house is the first brand on the LVMH roster to collaborate with the Italian luxury label, and the sublime result of the partnership is a sleek aluminium cabin case, finished with a brushed effect ‘FF’ logo, and a black and yellow web belt. The collaboration blends the greatest characteristics of each brand; think Rimowa’s manoueverable multi wheel system and two TSA locks, and Fendi’s black Cuoio Romano leather handles and customisable placard. How’s that for hot-wheels?
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Hands on
10 November
Richard Boyle, the 3rd Earl of Burlington, completed London's Chiswick House in 1729. The neo-Palladian villa was inspired by the work of architect Andrea Palladio, whose most lauded creations are located within Venice, also the birthplace of the Italian luxury house Bottega Veneta. It’s a fit as sublime as the leather used in the brand’s famed 'Intrecciato' weave then, that today, the label held its exhibition ‘The Hand of the Artisan’ at the renowned 18th-century villa. The immersive exhibition, which spanned the regal rooms of Chiswick House, also charted Bottega Veneta's history. In the 'Cabat Room', artisans from Montebello demonstrated how to create the brand’s luxurious leather designs. A mirrored installation in the 'Knot Room' celebrated the brand’s signature twisted clutch creations, from an archive box clutch created from weaved silver to another embellished with glimmering beaded beetles. In the 'Jewellery Room', skilled craftsman articulated how the brand’s zirconia stones were set and faceted for added sparkle. The exhibition marked the first time Chiswick House has welcomed a brand to take over its space. Like Bottega Veneta's glittering necklaces, it’s a jewel in the villa’s history.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Leading light
9 November
From industrial designer to accessories whiz, Meb Rure, the Turkey-born founder of bag brand Mlouye offers designs that are objets in their own right. Elegant and easy, the sculptural creations hark back to Rure's technical background-some are inspired by Japanese origami and others by the sharp linear aesthetic of the Art Deco movement. We love this lantern-shaped bag. Crafted from Italian calf leather and suede, it comes with a choice of both a long and a short strap, also making it a leading light in easy going design.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Vitrine queen
8 November
In 1961, a young Leïla Menchari was plucked from the École des Beaux-Arts to work in the window display department of Hermès. By 1978, she had taken charge of the house’s Paris windows, a role she kept until 2013. The 13 vitrines of the flagship at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré were her stage, including the corner spot with its enormous double-aspect windows (pictured is a window from summer 1981, entitled La Vague de Marbre). With the help of artists, sculptors, painters, weavers, stonemasons and glassblowers, she drew her dreams and produced scenes, each one more fantastical than the last. Hermès’s artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas credits Menchari with being one of the world’s greatest storytellers, and her long career is celebrated this month in a new book Leïla Menchari, The Queen of Enchantment, published by Actes Sud and Hermès, and an exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris. 'Hermès à Tire-d’Aile, Les Mondes de Leïla Menchari' runs from today until 3 December.
Writer: Nick Vinson
As originally featured in the November 2017 issue of Wallpaper* (W*224)
Family ties
7 November
Modern Moscow brings us Paul & Yakov. Brothers Yury and Petr Polyakov, who growing up acquired their skills in the family’s outerwear business, founded the brand this year after finishing an education in journalism and economics. The vast Russian landscapes and the work of environmental artists Nils-Udo and Andy Goldsworthy formed the inspiration for the A/W 2017 collection, which offers casual ready-to-wear in muted autumn tones and military detailed outerwear that will get you through the coldest Russian winters.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Catwalk king
6 November
‘I chose my vantage point long ago and stayed there,’ says renowned photographer Chris Moore in a ‘Note from Chris’, part of the preface to his latest book. Catwalking is a chronologically ordered visual history of the catwalk images that Moore has captured for the last 60 years, in the greatest fashion cities across the world. From shots of John Galliano’s Central Saint Martins graduation show to Alexander McQueen’s final catwalk spectacle, over 500 photographs are ordered into decades and interspersed with explanatory essays by Wallpaper* contributor Alexander Fury. We’re particularly taken with this image from Hussein Chalayan’s S/S 2000 show at Sadler’s Wells, featured as part of 'The Millennium Bug' chapter from 2000-2009. The collection included an encasing plastic dress, which was manipulated to reveal frothy layers of a petticoat, using a remote control held by a young boy on stage. Catwalking, $75, published by Laurence King
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Making moves
5 November
‘It’s not a fashion film, it’s not a historical film, says Jason Basmajian, chief creative officer of Cerruti 1881, of the brand’s celebratory fiftieth anniversary film. Part dance performance, part biography, the film features interviews between Basmajian and the brand’s charismatic founder Nino Cerruti, spliced with scenes of a dancer twisting his way across the pavements that line the Seine in Paris. For Anima, directed by Karim Zeriahen, Basmajian was inspired by Wayne McGregor’s recent production Tree of Codes, and Travis Clausen-Knight, a principal from the choreographer’s company, spins through the streets in a fluid wool Cerruti overcoat, waistcoat and collar pin. ‘He really broke down the boundaries of menswear,’ Basmajian told us of Cerruti’s founder at the film’s premier, held at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London. ‘The way he talks about fashion and style is so relevant today.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
High five
4 November
One of the favourite go-to places of hip Parisians is a little hidden store in number 14, Rue Debelleyme. Indicated only with a sign reading ‘Études’, it is a well-kept Marais secret and the perfect place to shop for unisex clothing, photography and art books, and rare vintage fanzines. Études- the brainchild of Aurélien Arbet and Jérémie Egry was born 5 years ago when the duo decided to bring together their passion for art and publishing and their sense of aesthetics. ‘It was an ambitious project from the beginning, starting a brand bringing together both fashion, art and books’, says Egry. ‘So far, we’ve launched 13 fashion collections, published 19 books and worked with artists we admire’. To celebrate Études’ first 5 years, Aurélien and Jérémie have launched a new photography book. ‘It’s a compilation of analog pictures taken between 2012 and 2017 by different authors, their identity purposefully concealed so that the attention goes exclusively to the details of each shot. It’s all about fragments, urban landscapes, the everyday in short. Which is what inspires us.’ Joyeux anniversaire, Études.
Writer: Marta Represa
Stocking fillers
3 November
For those contemplating where they’ll be picking up their Christmas shopping this year, look no further than Harrods in London, where Dolce & Gabbana have embarked on a truly Italian festive takeover of the store, running until 28 December. Up on the fourth floor, the brand have erected a teeming street market, its striped stalls and fruit boxes brimming with accessories, baked goods, London-themed treats and Sicily-inspired Smeg appliances. A painter will even be on hand in store to customise accessories for that special someone. The icing on the Christmas cake? A giant Harrods Christmas Tree, designed by Dolce & Gabbana, which sits outside the store’s entrance on Hans Crescent. You'll find us searching for presents under it.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
A,B,C as easy as 1,2,3
2 November
As part of its A-Z of Denim series, London-based brand Mih Jeans has gathered a selection of women from across the globe to customise their favourite pieces with words and slogans. Norwegian stylist Annabel Rosendahl, has chosen to use orange stitching in a delicate font to embroider a pair of jeans around the waistband and a white t-shirt across the right breast. The orange compliments the pale blue wash of the denim and stays true to the brand's 70’s inspired aesthetic.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Prize above
1 November
Last week, the nominations for the Fashion Awards 2017 were announced- an event which is hosted live at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Now, the British Fashion Council and Swarovski have announced that those taking home a trophy on 4 December will be honoured with a design by John Pawson. An architectural designer well versed in fashion- Pawson has created flagships for Calvin Klein and Christopher Kane (two brands nominated for this year’s awards), Pawson has created a sleek crystal cylinder, measuring 240mm in height and 60mm in width, which encloses a lacquer thread running through its centre. When viewed from above, a convex lens magnifies the thread. Each trophy was handcrafted from crystal by Swarovski’s master cutters at the brand's headquarters in Wattens, Austria. We too want to take one home.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Access all areas
31 October
It’s been a busy year for Proenza Schouler. In July, the New York-based label showed its inaugural show in Paris as part of the Haute Couture schedule, and now its founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez have announced the launch of PSWL- a secondary and more accessible clothing line. PSWL is an extension of the brand’s ready-to-wear offering and features basic wardrobe stapes including denim, sweatshirts and casual outerwear. For Proenza Schouler’s A/W 2017 farewell show in New York, the brand created a spliced version of its logo. Typography is a touchpoint for PSWL too. The collection’s pieces are branded with a white cotton label printed with a black logo. They sound just our type. PSWL launches in stores and online on Monday 6 November.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
Shooting hoops
30 October
In celebration of the launch of its Resort 2018 collection, Valentino is calling all the shots with a series of gymnasium-inspired global pop-up shops, in spaces from Tokyo to London. In its augural Tokyo location, the Rome-based brand have created a high energy set up, one with concrete walls, punch-bags, basketballs and yoga mats, branded with the label’s new serif ‘VLTN’ logo. The pop-up store’s interior nods to the sporty aesthetic of Valentino's newly launched silk tracksuits, paired to point-scoring perfection with exclusive studded high tops, branded with ‘Tokyo’ logo sock details. The pop-up space is open until 19 November, at QC CUBE, 4-21-8 Jingumae Shibuya-ku Tokyo.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Hands free
27 October
Last year, we marvelled at the designs of Atelier YUL, the accessories label catering to creatives who need to transport unusually shaped materials, like technical drawings or photography proofs, from their office to home. The brand’s founder, a New York-based architect named Cece, has honed functional and sleek designs like the paired back ‘Folio’ or ‘Tube’, and now Atelier YUL have gone hands free, introducing the new Sac à Dos backpack silhouette. Crafted from pebbled leather, and handmade in Canada, the design features peek-a-boo bungee straps which can transport drawings, small tripods or even a yoga mat. ‘We were striving to create something that was pared-down and essential, but with a special feature to give the bag a functionality that went above and beyond your typical backpack,’ Cece explains of the camping rucksack-inspired designs. Just like the coiled drawings which Atelier YUL aim to protect, the bag is a symbol of a brand on a roll.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Flying high
26 October
Prada takes to the skies with the launch of two new travel trolleys. The first is a four-wheeled model that celebrates two classic brand materials – Saffiano leather and gabardine. Meanwhile, the second trolley comes with two wheels and takes inspiration from the iconic nylon Prada rucksack with a soft body, expandable storage space and internal compartments. Designed to meet the demands of frequent flyers, the trolleys fit comfortably within the cabin and come with bag tracking technology making them the perfect flight companion. Time to check in.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Solid as a croc
25 October
Mathias Augustyniak and Michael Amzalag’s M/M (Paris) is one of the city's most recognisable creative communication agencies. The duo has worked for almost three decades with the likes of Yohji Yamamoto, Nicolas Ghesquière, Björk and, lately, JW Anderson and Loewe. Yet their most recent collaboration - launched last night in the French capital - is with Lacoste. ‘Redesigning the Lacoste logo is pretty much lunacy, considering it’s one of the best ones ever’, says Mathias. ‘So we basically just mimicked it through the alphabet. The l-a-c-o-s-t-e letters take the shape of a crocodile!’ The pair then worked with the brand’s creative director Felipe Oliveira Baptista on a capsule collection made up of its classics, viewed through a street wear lens. There are sweat-shirts, tracksuits, T-shirts, a poncho… and of course tennis apparel and the seminal polo shirt. ‘What we love about Felipe is his way of taking something that already exists and giving it a twist,’ Mathias explains. ‘It’s much cleverer than just doing something completely out-there.’
Writer: Marta Represa
On the hunt
24 October
Besides an uncommon longevity, there is, at first glance, little commonality between Reebok and Huntsman – one is a sports shoe maker since 1895, and the other a Savile Row stalwart, established in 1849. But it’s a dogged obsession with the perfect fit that explains why they make such perfect collaborators.
Their partnership – due to be unveiled in February – is a prototype men’s suit for American football player and Reebok brand ambassador Brandin Cooks, made by Huntsman from Reebok’s new Flexweave. Designed by the Boston-based Reebok Innovation Collective for Reebok’s next generation of footwear, the material features what James Woolard, brand director of Reebok Running describes as a special, open figure-8 construction that interlocks fibres to create a light, durable and stable fabric – the very same qualities so prized in bespoke tailoring.
As Campbell Carey, Huntsman’s head cutter and creative director, points out, Reebok wanted to put Flexweave to the ultimate test in tailoring and fit. ‘If Flexweave can stand up to the standards of Savile Row, then I can imagine it would make a pretty good pair of trainers too!’
Writer: Daven Wu
Zero to hero
23 October
Over the last two decades, Maria Cornejo has pioneered a design-centric approach to fashion with her love of amorphous cuts, sumptuous fabrics and graphic prints. To commemorate such longevity, the designer has released her inaugural tome, which charts the evolution of her brand Zero with sketches, polaroids, runway images and other such mementos for an intimate peek into her design process. In addition to new photographs shot by Cornejo’s husband, Mark Borthwick, Maria Cornejo: Zero is also accompanied by a limited edition, 12-piece capsule collection for Barneys (the label’s first stockist), fittingly centred around Cornejo’s ‘Book’ print, first seen in her A/W 2011 collection.
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
Puppet master
20 October
Phoebe English has imagined her fashion week presentations as pottery classes and domestic laundry spaces, and now the London-based designer has delved into the narrative of museum setups, holding a retrospective show at the Victoria & Albert Museum, as part of its Fashion in Motion series. For her S/S 2018 women’s presentation, English created miniature versions of the pieces in her collection, presented on puppets created by Judith Hope. For Fashion in Motion, English played puppet master once more, making tiny versions of pieces in her archive, clothed on puppets which were moved by models positioned around the museum’s resplendent Raphael Gallery. ‘We thought it would be a good idea to make a miniature archive,’ English said backstage. ‘These are things that we can store and keep, a nice memento.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Staple diet
19 October
After over a decade living and working in London as a strategy consultant, Turin-born Luca Faloni grew tired of returning home in pursuit of quality wardrobe staples. ‘In Italian cities, you know the neighbourhoods that sell good sweaters and shirts at a reasonable price. In London, the same stores just don't exist,’ he says. Determined to make a change, three years ago Faloni launched his eponymous luxury menswear label, specialising in brushed cotton and linen shirts and shorts, leather accessories and cashmere. And while the brand celebrates artisanal quality, it keeps ahead of the curve with surprisingly affordable pricing, which it maintains by skipping the wholesale-to-retailer supply chain and selling directly through its own website. ‘We focus on staples, and have a small selection of products that we know are timeless and will always sell,’ says Faloni. ‘It’s better to develop your designs one by one, rather than launching ten things at once and doing them all wrong.’ Tomorrow sees the brand open a pop-up store, dubbed In The Hood, in London’s Notting Hill. Until 11 November.
Fashion: Jason Hughes Writer: Laura Hawkins
As originally featured in the November 2017 issue of Wallpaper* (W*220)
Moore’s more
18 October
It’s been 15 years since Lisa Bush co-founded the boutique Mona Moore in Montreal, Canada. The retail outpost – renowned for its well-curated array of pieces, from Molly Goddard’s frothy tulle creations to Lemaire’s clean silhouettes, relocated to Venice, California, in 2009, and occupied spaces on Abbot Kinney Boulevard and Main Street. Now, Moore has found a new permanent home on Lincoln Boulevard. The untreated floor of its eclectic space is lined with colourful rugs and comfy furnishings, and boasts rails of eye-catching clothing. The most illuminating feature? A neon tube light sculpture, bearing the boutique’s renowned moniker.
Courtesy of Mona Moore. Writer: Laura Hawkins
Power of two
17 October
A new book, by SHOWstudio editor-at-large Lou Stoppard, celebrates the most dynamic duos in the fashion industry. Championing the power of two, Fashion Together offers insight into the creative approaches of duos including couturiers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, Gareth Pugh and the filmmaker Ruth Hogben and Thom Browne and milliner Stephen Jones. Take partners in life and work Rick Owens and Michèle Lamy, who met in 1990 and married in 2006, and collaborate together on Owens’ furniture and fur collections. ‘We complement each other,’ Owens tells Stoppard. ‘I’m about arriving at the destination from point A to point B with the straightest line. And Michèle is about enjoying the journey.’ Their section in the book – one filled with figurative illustrations by Benoit Barnay, personal mementos and process shots, is one we made a beeline for.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Fashion Together, £55, published by Rizzoli. Pictured artwork by Benoit Barnay
Show me the Monet
16 October
Claude Monet’s Water Lilies (1916) may be on display at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo, but now art aficionados can admire the piece at their own arm's length. The impressionist masterpiece is one of the new artworks featured in the second wave of Louis Vuitton and Jeff Koons’ Masters series, which sees a range of canonical art pieces printed upon its signature bag shapes. The second incarnation includes Gaugin’s Delightful Land (1892), Manet’s Luncheon on the Grass (1863), and Turner’s Ancient Rome (1839). It’s a project which echoes Koons’ Gazing Ball series, which saw 35 of the world’s most famous artworks in history reprinted in oil on canvas. They each featured a mirrored metal orb- encouraging viewers to gain a glimpse of their own reflection while admiring the said piece. Reflecting on his own affinity for Water Lilies, Koons calls the piece ‘one of the most beautiful, sensual images of nature. It is an image that plays between appearing concrete and at the same time breaks down becoming completely ephemeral’. Just like Koons, we’ve got our art set on it. ‘Narima' daybed, £46,750.00, by Francis Sultana
Interiors: Benjamin Kempton. Writer: Laura Hawkins
Good deed
15 October
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Theory has launched ‘Good Wool’, a sustainable collection for both men and women that offers a selection of casual suits and knitted separates. The collection is made using natural fibers sourced at a family run farm, and features hang tags made of recycled paper. It is the next step in the brand’s commitment to increasing its sustainable output. Good things come to those who wait, and Theory has plenty more on the horizon.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Quilt trip
14 October
With fine art no longer confined to being exhibited solely on walls, even fashion accessories have become respected canvases. One particular specimen that is especially poignant is the handbag label MZ Wallace’s union with American artist Kerry James Marshall. In honour of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s 50th anniversary, the New York-based company has partnered with Marshall, who lives and works in Chicago, to cover its signature Metro Tote with his painting Untitled (Painter), one of his pieces in the museum’s collection. The painting’s colour has not only been reproduced on the bag’s quilted surface to a tee, the crop of the image also powerfully conveys the complexities of identity and race that Marshall’s work is known for. All the proceeds from the bag, which is now available to purchase in limited edition, will be donated to the museum in support of its educational programmes.
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
Window of opportunity
13 October
Lanvin has collaborated with the Institute of Contemporary Arts and renowned graphic artist, Scott King on a six-part stained-glass window installation, Nightmare (2017), on view at its men’s store on London’s Savile Row. Visitors can admire the caricatures of a dubious maiden, stuck between the affections of two lovers who offer contrasting lives – the stark option between globalism and isolationism Lucas Ossendrijver, creative director of Lanvin Homme, was inspired by the everyday for A/W 2017. Similarly, the installation subtly nods to a topic on many a mind – the UK’s impending divorce from the European Union. Nightmare, Scott King, 2017, courtesy of the artist and Herald St, London. Curated by the Institute of Contemporary Arts
Writer: Katie Meston
Strong winds
11 October
Last October, Harvey Nichols in London launched Northwind – a collaboration with Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF), which celebrated the aesthetics of the modern Scandinavian male. Now in a bid to boost the connections between art and fashion, CIFF and Code Art Fair director Kristian W Andersen has moved Northwind further afield to Los Angeles for its second iteration- one which honours the writer and curator Neville Wakefield. Wakefield, the artistic director of the recently launched contemporary art exhibition Desert X, which takes place in Coachella Valley, has had a career that spans the realms of fashion, art and design. He has served as the senior curatorial advisor for MoMA PS1, designed limited-edition luggage for Rimowa and commissioned skate decks for Supreme. Wakefield has also been working on the relaunch label of Rudi Gernreich – the experimental and avant-garde brand which gained renown during the sixties. The relaunch is set for completion next year – a milestone which will be honoured tomorrow at Northwind’s private reception at the Chateau Marmont.
Pictured, Leon Bing in Rudi Gernreich Dress, by Dennis Hopper (1966). © Dennis Hopper, Courtesy of The Hopper Art Trust.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Magic touch
10 October
This season sees Italian tailoring maestro Caruso introduce a capsule travel collection of sartorial separates. Using the brand’s unique ‘Houdini’ fabric, named after the famous illusionist, the pieces perform the impossible by being completely crease and stain resistant. Inspired by global travellers, the relaxed collection of softly tailored jackets and trousers offer the perfect long-haul uniform, and are available to buy exclusively at Fenwick of Bond Street.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Animal instinct
9 October
Cat-eye glasses just took on new meaning with a rebirth of eyewear by Cartier, the iconic panther brand. It’s the result of a surprising partnership between two of the world’s biggest luxury groups, Kering (via its division Kering Eyewear) and Richemont, who own Cartier. The partners unveiled their first joint collection in Paris this week. Modern and luxurious, the 115 models come in a range of shapes and materials (including solid gold), and feature classic Cartier codes: gold panthers and screw heads, a calfskin flap, the signature C.
Kering Eyewear is not yet three-years-old, but it boasts an impressive portfolio, and CEO Roberto Vedovotto says the top-notch team has a combined 900 years of experience in eyewear. He first approached Richemont a year and a half ago because, he explains, ‘I didn’t want to do just another eyewear company, there were already too many, and they were all under the same business model: licensing. My passion is luxury, fashion, and I wanted to do a luxury company in the eyewear industry.’
He saw unrealised potential in Cartier, which had ‘unparalleled’ DNA but considered eyewear a secondary activity. Richemont’s then-CEO, Richard Lepeu, was friendly with Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault, so the two parties readily agreed on a strategic partnership, with Richemont acquiring 30 percent of Kering Eyewear. The line is made in Cartier’s French manufacturing facility, with two collections a year rather than one. Could this pave the way for more partnerships? Vedovotto would not say, only noting that ‘The culture and values of the two groups are very similar. We get along very well.’
Writer: Amy Serafin
Photo shop
6 October
Last November, we celebrated the opening of Connolly's new Mayfair home. To mark the brand’s re-launch last year, Chris Killip’s black and white photographs of the Isle of Man graced the walls of its Clifford Street location. It was Killip who captured images of Connolly’s Wimbledon factory in the early nineties. Now, in celebration of Frieze Art Fair, the store is playing host to an exhibition of works by the surrealist and avant-garde German photographer Heinz Hajek-Halke. Twelve of the photographer’s most renowned works will be on display until February 2018. What better backdrop for picking up a Connolly wardrobe classic? Die Ahnengalerie (The Gallery of Ancestors), c 1965. Image: © Heinz Hajek-Halke / Michael Ruetz, Courtesy Augusta Edwards Fine Art
A place in the sun
5 October
It's been 80 years since Thomas A Hill, the grandson of Sunspel’s founder moved his family owned factory – one specialising in high quality basics, crafted from the highest quality cotton- to a new home in Long Eaton. Now a new exhibition at the brand’s Chiltern Street flagship in London celebrates this milestone. The space has been dotted with pieces, artefacts and memorabilia that highlight the history of the Sunspel, one famed for creating some of the earliest versions of the cotton t-shirt, bringing the boxer short to the UK, and clothing Daniel Craig in exquisite polo shirts in Casino Royale. To mark the milestone, Sunspel ha also released a ‘1937’ capsule collection, which takes inspiration from the the brand’s archive. Pieces include women’s underwear with a scalloped hem, and a men’s Henley t-shirt with mother of pearl buttons, both finished with a label boasting an archival Sunspel logo of sunshine breaking through the clouds.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Material world
4 October
We’ve got eyes for neubau,the Austrian-eyewear label producing sustainable frames created from a material termed natural PX. Whether you’re searching for square frames in red brick or circular styles in matte black, neubau’s opticals are created using an eco friendly polymer, made from oil extracted from the castor plant- a renewable and sustainable natural resource. We’ll take a pair in every style
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Eye of the tiger
3 October
At Kenzo, creative directors Humberto Leon & Carol Lim have made leaps and bounds at re-connecting Mr Takada’s brand with the youth of today. It’s why they’ve become more comfortable than ever before looking back at his history: case in point, the ‘Collection Memento’ of tweaked re-editions they are showing on the women’s calendar. How better to educate a new generation to his world than to invite them inside it, as the duo have done in a new 120sqm boutique in the Marais district of Paris, designed by Italian architect Fabrizio Casiraghi.
Imagined as a store-cum-gallery, the project is pegged as a unique Kenzo destination, where fans and passers-by can shop the label’s current collections as well as one-of-a-kind vintage pieces, and experience happenings like the end-of-summer carnival (replete with Dance Dance Revolution machines, balloon dogs, and portrait cartoonist) that fêted its opening last Saturday. 'I referenced the sports hall of my high school for the lino floors,’ says Casiraghi, ‘and the walls are a particular aquamarine blue, straight from the Kenzo archive.’
Contrasting the subtle wrapped wooden veneers and a mustard yellow curtain wall (hiding fitting rooms), the space features Kenzo’s iconic tiger head tufted in multicolour tapestry by French artist Olivier Colombard and windows decked out in neon lights. ‘It’s young and urban but sophisticated, like Kenzo,’ he continued. If it’s lively opening was any indication then watch this space: the store is soon to host more lively Parisian shenanigans for a limited time only.
Writer: Dan Thawley
Hands free
29 September
At Wallpaper* we’re getting our kicks over Nike’s newly dropped HyperAdapt 1.0 trainer. The brand has created the first self-lacing shoe, designed using EARL – electro adapting reacting lacing – technology. Spearheaded by Nike VP for innovation design and special projects Tinker Hatfield, the trainer has a performance focus, designed to alleviate the issue of athletes running in shoes that are too small. ‘So many athletes have worn shoes that are too tight for too long,’ Hatfield says. ‘Their feet become deformed and damaged. These adaptable shoes will not only provide comfort and the perfect fit, but they will actually relax your feet, allow your toes to spread, and encourage them to be healthier.’ The HyperAdapt 1.0 encourages a symbiotic relationship between the shoe and the foot, a formula achieved through the use of a mini-computer, a series of sensors and a lighting system within the shoe, which signals when its laces should be tightened. Hatfield, a former architect and athlete is adept at creating scaled down technology. ‘As an architect you learn how to handle complex processes, but ultimately the biggest thing you learn is catering to people, and what they might want,’ he says. Time to get in step.
Modern love
28 September
To coincide with the landmark exhibition, ‘Items: Is Fashion Modern?’ at MoMA – one which analyses 300 fashion garments for their universal impact on society – MoMA Design Store has collaborated with some of the brands featured on a limited edition line of products. The collection, which will be available during the length of the exhibition, includes a custom Breton shirt from Armor-Lux, Swatch watch designs featuring the museum’s logo and a seamless knit shirt by Cauliflower Issey Miyake. ‘Items: Is Fashion Modern?' opens on 1 October.
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
Poetry in motion
27 September
Copenhagen-based brand Mr Larkin is a concept created by US-born designer Casey Blond, based on a character whose narrative she weaves into the collections. For Blond’s latest offering, Mr Larkin visits a female artist’s studio and muses on how the idea of the muse has progressed. This narrative, along with the writing of 19th-century poet Christina Rossetti, has inspired the muse embroideries in the A/W 2017 collection, which feature playful continuous stitches depicting the different faces of the modern woman.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
American jean
26 September
Just a few weeks after denim label Frame opened a new flagship in New York’s Soho, the brand has opened an additional American outpost in San Francisco. The living room-inspired interior has minimalist timber accents and marble and mirrored furnishings, plus a grid-like wall of shelving in the brand’s signature shade.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Take a bite
25 September
Formed in 2015, sustainable brand Bite is made up of a collective of designers and forward-thinkers from Stockholm, New York, and London – its collections are crafted and ethically produced in the latter. For Bite’s latest offering, the team has translated menswear volumes into flattering cocoon silhouettes in a dusty colour palette, using innovative materials such as milk and corn cotton fiber fabrics. Now that’s something we’d like to sink our teeth into.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Earthly delights
22 September
Angela Missoni’s countryside home in Brunello, near Missoni’s headquarters in Surimago, is surrounded by a garden designed by the Italian landscape architect Pietro Porcinai. It’s a flourishing fit then, that for her 20th anniversary at the creative helm of the brand her parents founded in 1958, Missoni has created a capsule collection of sweaters and vests embroidered with the natural motifs that inspire her. The collection's varsity style pieces are punctuated with daisies and garlands of leaves. What better birthday blooms?
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Reef encounter
21 September
The designer and couturier Deborah Milner, has for the first time released a collection under her own label, presented earlier this week at Showstudio in London. Milner, who previously worked as a consultant to the late Alexander McQueen, was inspired by life-cycles of coral reefs. She has created a sculptural haute couture collection that evokes their undulations, exemplified with delicate details like pencil drawings of dead corals onto organza. The collection has been created with naturally sourced materials and processes, using natural dyes and environmentally conscious embellishments. For Milner, having a sustainable output and a master hand over her creations is of great importance. Now that’s what we call green-fingered.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Going for gold
20 September
Golden Goose Deluxe Brand forges forward with the opening of not one but two new boutiques this month – the first close to the brand’s headquarters in Venice, Italy, and the other in Los Angeles (pictured). We’re particularly taken with the latter, which features a windowless cement façade adorned with the brand’s star insignia. Inside, stair-like spirals of Carrara white marble display footwear, while garments are suspended from the ceiling. At the centre of the store, an unexpected marble and glass cube acts as a private dressing room.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Heeling power
Los Angeles denim brand Mother is making great new strides on its first foray into footwear, stepping in line with Minnetonka. Founded in Minnesota in 1946, Minnetonka is known for its luxurious suede and fringed moccasins. Available in four limited-edition styles, the new collection is embellished with colourful supernova embroidery inspired by the seventies. We can’t help but put our best foot forward in tan laced ankle boots.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
In the market for
18 September
Over the weekend, in celebration of London Fashion Week, Dover Street Market London unveiled a series of eye-catching designer installations. During Wallpaper’s tour of the Haymarket space, we spotted a number of gems, like LVMH Prize winner Marine Serre’s domestic corner set, featuring neon moon print wallpaper and a potted plant fresh from the market, still wrapped in a plastic bag; or London label Roberts Wood’s ethereal installation of transparent cutaway panelling. For those keen to catch a glimpse, the installations are on display until the end of the month.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Sketch show
17 September
For those in town for London Fashion Week, the Broadwick Street #Drawfashion exhibition is a must-see. Launched by the London College of Fashion three years ago, the #Drawfashion competition celebrates the work of the UK’s most illuminating illustrators. We’re particularly drawn to the work of Melissa Eakin, whose figurative illustrations have a distorting and surrealist slant. The pop-up exhibition is open until the evening of 19 September, and well worth a look-see.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Social network
15 September
Donald Robertson has released a monograph with Maison Assouline – a tome which showcases the artist and illustrator’s work from the last four years. Famed for his energetic and colourful aesthetic, Robertson has in recent years become the go-to-artist for all fashion related matters. Also known as ’the Andy Warhol of Instagram’, his tall and elongated figures commonly take form with rough paint strokes and coloured tape, working to a minimal and abstracted aesthetic that often has a satirical edge. In Donald, The Book, Robertson says, ‘I like a good joke. I love to laugh at myself and anybody who takes themselves too seriously.’ While Warhol’s fans and muses had The Factory, today @drawbertson’s devotees (all 191,000 of them), follow his creative and humorous pursuits on Instagram.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Talking shop
14 September
What better time than New York Fashion Week to celebrate the redesign of Max Mara’s flagship on Manhattan’s Madison Avenue? The Italian label opened the boutique in 1994, and in celebration of its retail heritage, the brand has worked with Duccio Grassi Architects on a redesign that reclaimed the markings of the original bricks and walls. Ceppo stone makes a statement at the entrance; the boutique’s interiors feature brass and stone walls, and a geometric oak and marble floor. A bespoke tubular brass chandelier tops off the sleek store design. What a homecoming.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
A wooly welcome
13 September
With its 'Wooly Friends' installation at its flagship boutique in London, Marni is bringing the vibrant colours of Colombia to Mount Street. The brand has a longstanding partnership with the craftsmen of the country, and this year’s outcome of its relationship is a limited edition collection of hand-made wool and metal animals, inspired by Colombia's traditional knitwear. Currently on display for animal loving customers at Marni’s London outpost, the creations are also available to buy, and make for the chicest household pets.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
1, 2, 3, APC
12 September
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, APC presents the tome Transmission – a window into the mind of the brand’s founder Jean Touitou, and a visual history of the renowned Parisian label. Published by Phaidon, the book is divided into three parts, and features an archival montage of visual and written ephemera. The book also features a curated selection of images created with key collaborators, including Collier Schorr and Alasdair McLellan. As Touitou says, Transmission encapsulates a ‘catalogue raisonné’.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
American dream
11 September
With New York Fashion Week in full swing, what better time to spotlight the flourishing fashion scene of other American cities? Take Boston, which boasts a recently opened art deco-inspired Saint Laurent store. The Parisian label’s 24th boutique in the US features walls in black and white marble, leather and chrome benches, and a nickel plated brass display counter. We can’t wait to take a tour.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Tome coming
8 September
The designer and anthophile Dries Van Noten, celebrated his 100th catwalk show in March this year. With almost 35 years in the industry, a wealth of designs and a pattern and fabric-focused attention to fashion, the Belgian designer has released a two-volume tome, published by Lannoo, to document his story. Each show, from his S/S 2017 menswear spectacle, featuring a a set constructed from a wall of large industrial lights, to his S/S 2015’s women’s show, boasting a 48-metre long carpet artwork by artist Alexandra Kehayoglou, has been analysed through texts by Tim Blanks and Susannah Frankel. The book due, for publication on October 1, follows the June release of Reiner Holzemer’s biopic Dries. What better ways to celebrate such a milestone?
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Sole traders
7 September
Tomas Maier has been preoccupied with numbers. Not only does the US-based brand turn 20 this year, but it has also singled out the year 1968, as an era of great design. Maier has collaborated with sports behemoth Puma on a reissue of its Roma trainer, created that same year. The style, released in a limited-edition range of 200 pairs, features Maier’s signature debossed palm tree, no surprise, considering its founder splits his time between New York and Palm Beach.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Photo shop
6 September
With New York Fashion Week kicking off today, there’s a tumult of talent making waves on and off the catwalks. Vivienne Westwood, Andreas Kronthaler and longtime collaborator Juergen Teller have transformed Vivienne Westwood’s Manhattan flagship store into an exhibition space celebrating the trio’s decade old creative partnership. The vast array of curated images ranges from campaign shots to magazine editorials, portraits to art projects. The exhibition is on display over two floors of the majestic French Beaux-Arts building until the end of October.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Two faced
5 September
The American outdoor giant The North Face was established in 1968, yet it has only recently made its way into the closets of urbane explorers the world over since partnering with Junya Watanabe in 2013. Its latest collaboration with the Japanese label Sacai debuted yesterday at Dover Street Market in London. Designer Chitose Abe has applied her signature hybrid aesthetic to the brand’s iconic Mountain Jacket and Nuptse style, splicing them together with MA-1 military shapes. It is an allegiance between form and function. Abe says: ‘I had known about their water protection technology but I was surprised to learn about The North Face’s moisture management and warming technologies. Our samples were sent back and continuously tested to make sure that they offered complete water protection. This is an encounter between silhouette and technology.’
Writer: Dal Chodha
Gender theory
4 September
Serena Rees knows a thing or two about seduction. The founder of Agent Provocateur, who launched the renowned lingerie brand in 1994 (and sold a decade ago), has created a brand synonymous with glamorous and overt allure. Now, with the launch of her new lingerie and streetwear line Les Boys Les Girls, Rees has taken a more pared-back approach to attraction. The 100-piece debut adopts a gender fluid and democratic aesthetic, one inspired by the mindset of the entrepreneur's children and their friends. Providing real sparkle at Wallpaper* HQ is the brand’s range of glittering Lurex separates, paired insouciantly with casual hooded zip-ups.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Storm chaser
1 September
London-based luggage brand Troubadour create handcrafted bags and accessories that blend tradition with the demands of today. Pushing the possibilities of design forward for the rainy months ahead, the label has produced the limited edition Dryline Leather Rucksack - a completely waterproof leather bag. With its sleek, minimal appearance and waterproof properties, the silhouette is the perfect hands-free city to country companion.
Writer: Jason Hughes
The now factor
31 August
Launching in September, ‘Fashion Now’ is an ease-fuelled in-room wardrobe service born from the exclusive partnership between London’s Regent Street staple Hotel Café Royal, and online clothing powerhouse Matchesfashion.com. Originally conceived with the purpose of curbing panic buying in case of a lost suitcase, the service allows hotel residents to select curated pieces, ranging from active-wear to formal clothing, that will be delivered to their room upon their arrival. The service also offers the possibility to consult with an expert stylist, and gives the suite guests of the Hotel private access to the retailer’s flagship store in Marylebone. This innovative service encapsulates the essence of travelling, its hazards and the excitement of discovering something new. It’s also the perfect service for catering to a spontaneous and unquenchable wardrobe refresh.
Writer: Sofia Dotta
Clear view
30 August
Visitors to Jermyn Street in London’s menswear hub St James’s will notice the new store and atelier of spectacles brand Cubitts. The design, envisaged by Studio DRAW, is a homage to traditional British craftsmanship. It features a hand painted glass façade, bespoke consultation desks created by the furniture maker Max Woodall, and, in a nod to the mathematical persuasion of former resident Isaac Newton, the tiled floor sports a bold geometric pattern. Now that's a design that adds up.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Sticking point
29 August
Whether you’re keen to personalise your nylon Prada backpack or any other accessory of your choice, the brand’s most upcoming ‘My Character’ pop up at Harrods in London has the answer. We’ll be getting stuck into the space’s ‘My Sticker’ offering, featuring patches crafted from Saffiano leather, that can be repositioned at will. For when the sun goes down on summer, we’ll be opting for this palm-tree topped interpretation, paired with a ‘W’ keyring, naturally.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Pull the cord
25 August
Omar Varts, CEO of Swedish label The Cords & Co, is on a mission to reinvent corduroy clothing. The Cords & Co, the unisex brand which launches today, features a cacophony of corduroy pieces, from wide legged trousers, to hoodies, bringing a new level of texture to timeless silhouettes. The brand are embarking upon 6 global flagship openings, from Los Angeles to Stockholm, New York to Paris, so wherever you are based, prepare for the pieces to strike the perfect wardrobe chord.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Winter warmers
24 August
Canada Goose has the winter months all wrapped up with the launch of its debut knitwear collection. Bringing its purpose-driven design in crafting function-first apparel to merino wool garments, the collection strategically weaves different stitch patterns to regulate body temperature and increase comfort, warmth and breathability. The garments are available in three different knit weights to tackle even the coldest of climates.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Agile working
23 August
Activewear brand No Ka’Oi’s garments attest to both performance and style. Approaching its designs from a graphic perspective, segmented shapes come together to form an armour of colour down the body, as seen here in this combination of autumnal tones. The brand has worked with Italian embroidery group Rilievi to ensure the highest level of craft and construction, creating designs that are both alluring, graceful and performance ready.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
In good shape
22 August
Earlier this year, we delighted in the S/S 2017 designs of LA-based accessories label Building Block. The brand’s creations, masterminded by sisters Kimberly and Nancy Wu, featured smooth leather finishes resembling 3D renderings. Building Block’s recent A/W 2017 offering, with its look book art directed by Ania et Lucie, is also on top form. With autumn approaching, we’re gravitating to these deep red designs, imagined in cheeky pouch shapes or sturdy box-shaped shoulder bags.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Paper stock
21 August
Turning the concept of a throwaway item into a treasured keepsake, Acne Studios has launched its Baker ‘paper’ bag, alongside its men’s A/W 2017 collection. Constructed from cotton and leather, the new style comes in two designs, one in a beige palette, the other featuring a facial motif based on the brand’s renowned magazine Acne Paper.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Driving seat
18 August
Italian luxury leather specialist Tod’s has released a new range of sneakers for summer. The all-white collection comes with the brands iconic Gommino pebble motif running along the soles and back tongue. A top stitched black line and zig-zag cut stripe add a graphic go-faster side detail.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Let it slide
17 August
Giving us the slip up for A/W 2017 is New York-based shoe label Gray Matters. Founded by Silvia Avanzi in 2016, the brand has an arresting architectural persuasion, and is one that naturally caught our eye. Of particular appeal is Gray Matters’ offering of Italy-crafted slip on mules. Our must-have pairs, lensed here by Charlie Schuck, with set design by Natasha Felker, come with folded origami-inspired details or with a delicate cut out upper that dives towards the toes.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Good form
16 August
The modern man’s wardrobe is getting an update courtesy of newly launched online retailers Form&Thread. Shunning the traditional fashion season cycle in favour of timeless classics, everyday menswear essentials come fuss free in functional fabrics. Coming out on top form? This class Breton-striped long sleeve tee, crafted in a weighty cotton jersey.
Writer: Jason Hughes
Glass act
15 August
Italian eyewear specialist Safilo has set its sights on bringing cutting edge innovation to its history of impeccable craftsmanship. Oxydo, its atelier eyewear label, comprises frames created using state of the art 3D printing. The brand’s experimental artisans have collaborated with the New York-based artist Francis Bitonti on a pair of gold-lensed sunglasses framed with a 3D-printed carved black mono-panel. The distinctive design acts as a symbol of an optical label looking forward into the future.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Magic circles
14 August
The ‘Mùn’, a box bag, perfectly constructed in the round, is the product of a collaborative project between Bertoni 1949 and the Hangar Design Group. The structured silhouette merges the Italian bag label’s architectural aesthetic with the Hangar Design Group’s staple black and white colour persuasion. Made from a patchwork of leather and alligator skin, the bag features a precious wooden handle, allowing the spellbinding design to come full circle.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Looking forward
11 August
We set our sights on eyewear label Ace & Tate’s store design in November 2016, when the Dutch brand opened its first New Tendency-designed Berlin flagship. Now the label has opened its second optical outpost in Charlottenburg, collaborating with local artist Guillaume Kashima on the store’s interior. The space features a cubism-inspired painting in Kashima’s figurative style, which extends over a wall of the store. It also boasts a neon light installation – a signature feature throughout Ace & Tate boutiques. We can’t wait for a closer look.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
Mobile marvels
10 August
As part of our Artist’s Palate series in our September issue Style Special, we asked footwear aficionado Manolo Blahnik to reveal the culinary secrets behind his bread and butter pudding. With the issue out now, what better time to look at the inspiration behind Blahnik’s current collection? The shoemaker looked to the mobile sculptures of Alexander Calder for A/W 2017. The shapes of his delicately balanced creations are replicated in dot and grid patterns on elegant ankle-strap sandals. Their perfect accompaniment? A large slice of pudding.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
London calling
9 August
Sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann, who founded their renowned womenswear label in Sydney in the early 1990s, always felt an affinity for the city of London. It’s a connection they have strengthened with the opening of the brand’s first European flagship in Mayfair. The two-storey space, designed by Australian architect, Don McQualter – a longtime collaborator of Zimmermann – is the 24th store in its global portfolio. The boutique’s steel staircase, which brings to mind the curving forms of Richard Serra’s sculptures, works in juxtaposition to the intricately detailed pieces on display, and is equally eye catching whether ascending to the upper floor, or heading down (under).
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Meeting of minds
8 August
‘We’re not compatible at all’, smiles Valérie Vanermen when asked about the allocation of duties she shares with Marie Libeert, the childhood friend with whom she founded the year-old Belgian accessories brand Marvais. Opting to design everything together rather than choosing the classic creative/business divide, Vanermen and Libeert combine their experience in interior design and marketing, respectively, to design high-quality bags that are a stirring combination of bold shapes and low-key colours.
Marvais’ A/W 2017 collection is made of vegetable tanned leathers which are kept as matte as possible, and comprises of four boxy styles in five poetically defined colours such as Vineyard Wine and Ombre Blue. With a bi-colour imprint that turns suede straps and linings into a trademark, Marvais shows an evident knack for conceiving recognisable yet versatile bags with a sound sensibility for construction.
Writer: Siska Lyssens
Going for gold
7 August
Giving us the Midas touch this season, is Brooks Brothers ‘Golden Fleece’ collection. The offering blends casual silhouettes with luxurious fabrications, and striking gold is this tan suede bomber jacket. The style is inspired by an archive seventies design by the American label.
Writer: Laura Hawkins.
A fine art
4 August
‘The Art Deco period unfolded at the same time as Argentina’s golden years, when Buenos Aires, dubbed Latin America’s Paris, became a metropolis favoured by an unprecedented cultural fervour. It brought universal exposure to the city for the first time ever,’ says Alexandra de Royere, the CEO and creative director of the Buenos Aires-based sustainable bag label Solantu. The geometric clasp details and shades encompassed in the label’s luxurious latest range of caiman skin bags, take inspiration from the period. Each clasp - handcrafted by North Argentinian artisans from precious stones- is unique. ‘The combination of art and luxury came naturally. It is a language shared by our brand’s founder Silvia Gold’, de Royere adds. 'What interests us above all is reinterpreting this exciting period in a contemporary way.’
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Natural instinct
3 August
Eszter Áron, designer of Hungarian brand Áeron, aspires to create clothes that reinvent traditional tailoring techniques from her native Hungary. Using premium materials, like Japanese leather, her sculptural designs play oversized shapes against tailored forms, which are enhanced by refined details such as a bow tie on a classic white shirt. The A/W17 collection continues to pursue this aesthetic, centring the designs around a natural and crisp colour palette of white, black and browns, with textural flourishes of velvet and tweed.
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Dance off
2 August
Herschel Supply Co celebrates the vibrant buzz of 1980s New York street culture with a collection that embraces the work of iconic pop artist Keith Haring. Consisting of apparel, headwear and accessories, emblazoned with Haring’s signature graffiti dancing man characters, the collection marks the first Herschel Supply Apparel offering. Design director Jon Warren explains, ‘Haring truly represented that period in New York’s history, and was a pioneer in making street art accessible to a wider audience, which we found really inspiring.’
Writer: Jason Hughes.
Science project
1 August
This summer, when strolling through the heart of Mykonos’ Chora, holidaymakers should keep an eye out for Alchemist boutique. Featuring sharp geometric lines, and white marble volumes scattered across the space like an ancient ruin, the store forms a transition between the original space and its surroundings. Designed by the Athens-based Kois Associated Architects, Alchemist offers a carefully chosen selection of minimalistic garments for both men and women.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Achilles heel
31 July
Handmade in Greece, Valia Gabriel’s eponymous summer-ready sandal label is inspired by the simplicity and minimalism of Grecian sculpture. Crafted from Italian leather, and imagined in earthy colours, the styles offer a contemporary take on signature Grecian sandals. We’ll be stepping into this crossover ankle strap design – the ideal footwear accompaniment for not just a Hellenic, but also any global adventure.
Writer: Juliet Dyer
Tulle box
28 July
In January this year, artist Benjamin Shine delighted the audience at Maison Margiela’s Artisanal S/S 2017 show in Paris, collaborating with creative director John Galliano on a coat overlaid with tulle, and crafted into the shape of an ethereal face. Now, the British artist has worked with the New York retail behemoth Bergdorf Goodman on a series of window installations featuring floating facial silhouettes, each crafted from a single length of brightly coloured tulle. The intricate detail of the designs, and the meticulous pace used to craft them, subvert the immediate gratification of the selfie in today’s digital age. On display until 3 August, they also bring a whimsical element to window shopping.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
A modernist approach
27 July
Using traditional Scottish and French techniques that have been tweaked to suit contemporary design, founders of Studio La Fetiche, April Critchon and Orely Forestier, have created a collection of wardrobe staples influenced by the experimental language of modernism. Strong geometric prints feature throughout the brand's latest collection, on pieces that have been tailored to fit a contemporary aesthetic. Appropriately, the collection has been photographed in Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye, the iconic concrete building built by the pioneer of design between 1928 and 1931. The location also reflects the architectural inspiration behind the collection. Note the design of the building’s ribbon windows, which are evoked in the curved red print of a navy sweater. Courtesy of Fondation Le Corbusier, Maison La Roche, Paris
Writer: Rosanna Bruce
Double vision
26 July
The iconoclastic spirit of the multi-hyphenate creative Virgil Abloh and his label Off-White hits a new high with a collaboration with the socially conscious eyewear company, Warby Parker. Both founded to challenge industry norms, the two entities have teamed up on a capsule collection of sunglasses, now available while stocks last. Striking a clever balance between conceptual fashion and being simply tongue-in-cheek, the range is comprised of three angular frames, – each a different riff on Abloh’s notion of a pair of classic black sunglasses. Architectural with a cinematic hint of the surreal, the trio are beautifully made from chunky acetate and boast exaggerated proportions, zero base curve lenses and blue anti-reflective coatings on the inner lenses for that extra oomph. ‘I welcomed the idea of bringing a unique concept to life, one shape extended and compressed to express a different emotion in eyewear,’ he says, ‘I’m honoured to work with such a progressive company like Warby Parker, who was able to help me realise my vision.’
Writer: Pei-Ru Keh
Cocktail hour
25 July
For the functional clasp details in her latest ‘Catch’ collection, London-based accessories designer Sophie Hulme was inspired by the utensils of mixologists. The elegant bronze-set and gold-plated clasps of her new minimalist bag designs nod to cocktail mixers. We think the rich leather fabrications and happy hour-worthy details of her latest offering are the perfect blend. Time for a tipple?
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Shirt shapers
24 July
After studying architecture in Germany and Japan, the founder of Kasius, Kasia Kucharska worked as an interiors architect for various fashion brands. It was at this time the designer realised she wanted to shift her focus to the human silhouette. Following a study in fashion design and a year of development, Kasius' first collection features 4 limited edition styles. The shapes and characteristics of the designs are inspired by the classic men’s shirt and adapted for the female body.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
Sole mates
23 July
For the sleek renovated interior of Bartoli’s footwear boutique in Italy’s Forte dei Marmi, architect Roberto Lazzeroni, looked to a range of timeless furnishings and fixtures. The ground floor 180 sq m space, features terrazzo and oak-aged flooring, a resplendent Calacatta Oro marble wall and furnishings in American walnut and ebony oak. For those seeking comfort during their shopping trip, Lazzeroni also designed a curving drop armchair and sofa, finished with neutral upholstery, and peppered the store with furniture he designed for Ceccotti Collezioni – including a double stacked ‘Fagiolo’ table and high legged ‘Lampo’ lamp.
Writer: Laura Hawkins
Shell raiser
22 July
An appreciation for workmanship and a love for travel formed the base of Emm Kuo, an accessories brand founded by New York-based Emmaline Kuo Ranzman. The clutches in the ‘Evening’ collection are all handmade in an eco-friendly studio in the Philippines where artisans work with natural materials such as mother-of-pearl and Paua shells that are indigenous to the region. Often it is the patterns of the wood and shells that direct the design, resulting in a collection of bags that are all unique.
Writer: Lune Kuipers
A good egg
21 July
Maureen Doherty launched the cerebral clothing label egg after a brief sabbatical from the high hokum of Paris fashion in 1994: ‘egg is for people who do not feel comfortable wearing fashion and like clothes that last for years,’ she says. Doherty’s slow retail philosophy has never changed and the label has become principal outfitter to a diverse group of women and men who have grown out of the seasonal spin. Today marks the opening of its first pop-up store selling pieces from the last five years. The look made up of artisanal fabrics and utilitarian, unfussy shapes is the new punk – beyond fashion but not anti it. The egg pop up archive sale in London runs from 21 July – 5 August at 121 Sydney Street.
Writer: Dal Chodha